Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender stripped of his portfolio

Telangana Health Minister Etela Rajender has been divested off his portfolio over allegations of land grabbing in Medak district. Chief Minister Okay Chandrashekar Rao will deal with the well being portfolio.
On Friday, the CM had instructed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to get an inquiry performed by the Medak District Collector on the complaints of encroachments of lands on the outskirts of Achampet in Masaipet Mandal in Medak district, get a complete report and submit the identical to him.
The CM additionally instructed Vigilance DGP Purnachandra Rao to seek out out the reality behind the allegations. The CM issued orders that the first inquiry within the matter needs to be performed instantly. Several farmers and landowners in Achampet just lately complained that they have been compelled to promote their land to Jamuna Hatcheries owned by Rajender’s household. Jamuna Hatcheries had just lately expanded and the corporate bought lands adjoining to the prevailing facility. The complaints got here from the identical landowners.

However, Rajender stated that the land for growth was bought legally and the landowners gave up their lands willingly. “This is an attempt to malign my image. When the allegations were first made, I had sought an inquiry by a sitting judge. I had also stated about the expansion plan of Jamuna Hatcheries to the CM and Principal Secretary Narsing Rao,” Rajender stated. The Medak District Collector Dr S Harish began conducting the inquiry by assembly the land homeowners and farmers who complained that they have been coerced into promoting the land to Jamuna Hatcheries. “The farmers and landowners complained that the minister and his associates grabbed around 100 acres of land that was assigned to them under various government schemes on the outskirts of Achampet and Hakimpet,” an official stated.
However, whereas the inquiry remains to be underway, the workplace of Governor Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan issued a press release within the afternoon saying that on the recommendation of the CM, the governor had accredited the switch of Medical, Health and Family Welfare protfolio from Etela Rajender to the CM with speedy impact.

Rajender is a four-time MLA and belongs to the robust Mudiraj neighborhood. Although he is among the founding members of Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), he and the CM have their variations. As the variety of Covid-19 circumstances surged final month, Rajender criticised the Centre a number of occasions for controlling the movement of vaccines and medicines, and complained that the Centre was not supporting states to fight the virus unfold. Chief Minister Okay Chandrashekar Rao nonetheless maintained silence. Sources stated that because of the allegations in opposition to Rajender, Opposition events have been targetting the CM and due to this fact, the choice to divest Rajender off his portfolio was taken.
The change comes amid a surge in Covid-19 circumstances with 7,754 new circumstances and 51 deaths being reported within the final 24 hours. Due to scarcity of vaccines, the state has not been in a position to begin the vaccine drive for individuals in 18-44 years age group right this moment.